The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-12-23


Lastweek,a AS our readers will remember,
we put the following questions TO the
Disssminafov
VIII the Disssmiaafor tell us what free |
trade Is IL Il In. faver Of reducing the |
surplus now In the treasury OF the United |
States, and II 80 how would itreduce II
Would Il make the reduction by making |
liberal, extravagant appropriations Or, |
would II reduce the surplus by removing
the tax from whisky and tobacco, or would
Il make the reduction In whole or In part
by reducing the war customs tax upon the
poor mans clothing, blanket, coal, lumber,
salt and other necessaries OF life These
are burning questions and farmers, me.
chanlcs, erchants, ,laborers and others are
seriously lnquiring about them. VIII the
DisssmiSafoy give It's views ON them
We stated that It would dodge the first
question, and our mind was not at fault,as
It lodged It entirely. We are 10th to be-
lleve Il but the evidence Is conclusive
that It fears to answer The question is
perfectly fair, for Il very frequently uses
the term "free trade" so we ask our
neighbOr again, what free trade is Its
readers have a right to know what Il
means by the term 'free trade" In ans
wer to ouE~qther questions, the Dissem.
inatoy discloses the fact that It is In favor
of reducing the surplus In tho treasury,
rot By yNfsaimg fAe SsydsHsems faxafieS
spkicA NON 6eaYs so.heatily o. tie fssfis, Bat
BY fHffisg ne wits Of coagvsssme~ 10 ~oyk
10 fad PLACE and uasHsy Of spending the
vast sums which we are now collecting
above what is necessary to run the gov
srnment. This, then, Is the relief which
our cotemporary offers to the poor man
In the Workshop, the farmer, the mechanic
and the great army of wage workers oi
the country who are douhly taxed on all
the necessaries OF life. The DissewfHafc'
would maintain the advantages In favor
of monoPOlies growing out OF war taxes
instead of reducing these taxes and thus
relieve the great mass of the people oi
this great incubus that has rested on them
since the war. The DEMocRAr would
take exactly the opposite course. Itwould
expend what Is justly demanded to run
the government and meet its obligations
to soldiers Justly entitled to pensions, and
would then relieve the overburdened tax
payers by reducing taxes TO point that
would prevent the accumulation Of an un.
necessary surplus. Just how and upon
what articles this reduction should be made
must be left to the assembled wisdom and
coneerte1 judgment of Congress. Owing
to the manifold conflicting interests In
volved in revision Of the tariff, coupled
with propec reduction of taxes,ltis clear
that the measure or bill must be based on
compromise, but two objects should be
kept steadily In view, that Of reducing the
surplus and relieving the overtaxed people
of the war taxes on the necessaries of life.
To this end the free list must be enlarged
by Including such articles as lumber, coal
salt, all the ores, such as iron, copper, zinc
and lead, marble, stone, hemp, jute and
many other raw materials raised In the
manufactures In this country. The duty
on sugar and wool will doubtless be reduc-
ed atleast one-half, and, as a compromise,
we expect to see the tobacco tax removed.
After all this Is done, there will still be
left enough to meet the payment Of such
pensions as should be granted and meet
the requirements Of our navy. The Dis
se1sisafor Il pleased to note the fact that
the editor of the DEMOCRAT Is trying to
inform himself upon this subject Of reduc-
ton Of surplus and taxation, and requests
us TO Piase what lear. f-s-. u. ~Stiois
in our hat We would cheerfully comply
with this request were It not for the fact
that we would never be able to End Il
again, owing to the in6nitesimal character
of the information gained, but we shall
find ample room for this precious knowl-
edge in one corner of the garrett Of a hab-
itation made from pigmean mustard seed
where Il will be hermitically kept for the
beneft of future generations.